Spatial light modulators used in projection display systems are capable of projecting image details from media sources such as HDTV, DVD, and DVI. The light received by a spatial light modulator and used to produce image details is emitted from one or more light sources. Minimum voltage requirements for operating conventional light sources prevents the modulation of the light at the light source. Specifically, a light source requires a minimum current for operation. If the current drops below the minimum threshold current, the light source may extinguish itself. Thus, conventional light sources are limited in their ability to modulate light at frequencies for sufficient grayscale resolution at high contrast ratios. Accordingly, images with a high content of black levels may result in projected images that include non-uniform shades of color intensity and objectionable contour lines at the transition between one area of darkness and an adjacent area of slightly different darkness.